Tattoos

[GuiltyMind88]

I am a 0L and i am interested in getting tattoos. Just wondering if anybody could provide some insight into how that may affect a career in law. I have read that it doesn't matter so long as the tattoos are not visible while wearing formal attire (dress shirt and suit) but i have also read that it may be a good idea to avoid them altogether as they could be visible during informal meetings or if you happen to bump into a client or employer during off-hours. 

For reference i would want to get a sleeve tattoo so it would be visible if i am wearing a short sleeve T-shirt/polo but not in work attire. The tattoo wouldn't be anything too outlandish, of course nothing that could considered offensive. I like to think that we're progressing away from the stigmas around tattoos but not sure if that is the case in the legal field as well.

Thank you in advance for any insight!

[Chewy]

Unless you get a tattoo on your hands, face, neck, or your in-house council for a church, I don’t think it’s an issue. 
 

 

[GreatWhiteSHARK]

Hello ! 3L with about 1 full sleeve and a half-sleeve here. Law is still one of the most conservative environments so there still exists a stigma.

I have some student friends that walk around their big law firm's offices with polos and visible tattoos and its perfectly acceptable. I have other that choose to hide them (and because they don't wear short sleeves). At this point, I think its a matter of personal preference.

Speaking for myself, I would be uncomfortable wearing short sleeves and showing my colleagues my tattoos; I just would be annoyed by the comments or jokes and what not even though its 100% playful and they come from a good place. 

That said, I would still avoid tattooing your hands and neck.

Edited March 5, 2023 by GreatWhiteSHARK

[Ben]

I had a half sleeve when I was last summering, and while I would often wear polos to work, I also kept a blazer in my office that I could throw on (even over a polo) if I had to sit down with someone I didn't know or who was quite senior. It's worth being a bit cautious about it but my experience is that you get a sense of each workplace pretty quickly. It's definitely not such a big deal that you should avoid getting them or worry about bits of them being seen if you're wearing long sleeves. 

[CleanHands]

Nobody would bat an eye if a member of the crim defence bar had "hailsatan42069" tattooed on their forehead.

[criminallyminded]

I've got a bunch of tattoos. They don't show when I'm wearing a suit, but when I'm not in court, I have tattoos showing on my arms at work. No one cares.

 

There is also a judge with a full sleeve who jogs around near court house with tats showing, no one seems bothered.

 

[Hayesy-B]

I don’t have tattoos or piercings myself, but I went to law school with a guy who had a bunch of each, including spacers and, I believe, some tattoos that extended onto his hands. 
 

As far as I can recall, he’s doing well career-wise, though I do think he went into one of the practice areas that are “traditionally” more accepting of people with a bit more of a personality.